On a monthly basis, almost 60 people in the United States are injured due to improper use of ladders. One hundred people suffer a long-term or permanent injury. And one person dies each day. March is National Ladder Safety Month and NYC Shanty is proud to bring awareness to the importance of ladder safety and to help one more person get home safe each day. No one really knows when the ladder was invented. However, the earliest evidence of it is located in Valencia, Spain. We do know that on January 7, 1862, John H. Balsley obtained the first patent in the USA for designing a step ladder. He’s considered to be the inventor of the first folding wooden step ladder. Click here to see Balsley’s patent.
As a part of National Ladder Safety Month, NYC Shanty would like to share a few tips on ladder safety that will help you stay safe and avoid falls.
- Choosing the Right Ladder for a project. Always review the directions on the ladder before use. And make sure you know your ladders weight limitations.
- Ladders need to be stable. Ensure your ladder has a good footing and stable points of contact for all legs of the ladder.
- 4 to 1 Rule. A straight or extension ladder should be placed 1 foot away from the resting surface for every four feet of the ladder height. For example, an eight foot ladder should extend two feet away from the resting surface.
- Think three! Maintain three points of contact with the ladder: two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot.
- Climb with Caution, never overreach or lean as this will shift the center of gravity.
Want to learn more about ladder safety? Below are three useful resources on ladder safety.
American Ladder Institute
https://www.americanladderinstitute.org/default.aspx
OSHA Standard for portable ladders contains specific requirements designed to ensure worker safety
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/falls/4ladders.html
National Safety Council Injury Safe
https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/66c640c0-274a-4da7-994a-c1176ef74f28/ladder-safety.pdf.aspx
